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How do I block a (mains) smoke alarm (so my steam cleaner doesn't trigger it)

Hi. I live in a large student complex, which is filthy

i want to buy a steam cleaner

Can I just cover the smoker alarm (using a plastic bag?)

Advice/ideas anyone?

thanks
 
M

Mr Fixit

Jan 1, 1970
0
ron said:
I thought you said you were buying a steam cleaner not a smoke machine!
I can't believe as a person who might one day have a degree that you can't
work it out for yourself.
a degree can mean nothing in the real world, common sense is much more of a
use I have had managers with a degree in management and have no idea how to
man manage in real life
 
J

jewellfish

Jan 1, 1970
0
Yes. Bag it. a big cloud of steam looks like a big cloud of smoke to
most detectors.

Just remember to remove it when you're done.
 
A

Andrew Gabriel

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hi. I live in a large student complex, which is filthy

i want to buy a steam cleaner

Can I just cover the smoker alarm (using a plastic bag?)

Advice/ideas anyone?

IME, that just delays the steam setting it off.
Cling film doesn't work any better either, and if
you do set one off with steam, it takes a long time
before it will reset. I don't have any suggestions
other than to temporarily remove it.

The small circular smoke detectors used on central
alarm/fire panels often come with a bright red cover
for such purposes. What also works well with them is
a latex rubber glove stretched over the sensor, and
the resulting 'hands' hanging down from the ceiling
serve as an obvious reminder the alarm is disabled.

Mains and individual battery operated smoke detectors
usually have too many openings (particularly at the
top) to seal the units off in this way reliably.
 
T

The3rd Earl Of Derby

Jan 1, 1970
0
ron said:
I thought you said you were buying a steam cleaner not a smoke
machine!
I can't believe as a person who might one day have a degree that you
can't work it out for yourself.

You don't have to have brains to enrol into college, just being there is
enough. ;-)
 
T

The3rd Earl Of Derby

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hi. I live in a large student complex, which is filthy

i want to buy a steam cleaner

Can I just cover the smoker alarm (using a plastic bag?)

Advice/ideas anyone?

thanks

Er! have you never heard of elbow grease?
 
ron said:
I thought you said you were buying a steam cleaner not a smoke machine!
I can't believe as a person who might one day have a degree that you can't
work it out for yourself

Steam triggers the smoke alarms where I live - people have showered
with the bathroom door open. this has resulted in the fire brigade
being called out on numerous ocassions, resulting in massive fines

the smoke alarms are hard wired into the ceilings - we cannot remove
them
 
J

John Stumbles

Jan 1, 1970
0
ron said:
I thought you said you were buying a steam cleaner not a smoke machine!
I can't believe as a person who might one day have a degree that you can't
work it out for yourself.

Ron: I can't believe a person who lectures posters on their intelligence (or
lack thereof) can't work out the situation for youself.

The OP is obviously not a student: he just said he _lives_ in the student
complex. He also said it is filthy.

If he were a student would he have even noticed the filth, let alone be
planning to buy a cleaner to tackle it? Eh???? Answer that!!!
 
F

Frank Olson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Steam triggers the smoke alarms where I live - people have showered
with the bathroom door open. this has resulted in the fire brigade
being called out on numerous ocassions, resulting in massive fines

the smoke alarms are hard wired into the ceilings - we cannot remove
them


Upgrade to photo-electric units. The ionization ones typically false in
the presence of steam. Photo-electrics won't.
 
B

Blueyonder

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hi. I live in a large student complex, which is filthy

i want to buy a steam cleaner

Can I just cover the smoker alarm (using a plastic bag?)

Advice/ideas anyone?

I'm not sure, but how would covering a smoke alarm help you buy a steam
cleaner?

Or am I missing something?
 
F

Frank Olson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Peter said:
This is a ridiculous answer! Students living in digs aren't responsible
for replacing smoke detectors FFS! I can't imagine the mess the Fire
Prevention Officer would have to sort out if they were. In any case,
thanks to tax-payers' meanness, most students haven't got two
halfpennies to rub together let alone buy anything photo-electric!

Chris, good on you for taking the trouble to clean up and I'm sorry
you've had such ridiculous replies from what normally tries to be a
helpful and sensible newsgroup. The person who lectured you on
steam/smoke is an ar**hole. Smoke detector technology basically detects
anything that isn't the usual mix of gases we call Air, so burning the
toast, taking the lid off a saucepan, opening a gas oven door, having a
steamy shower or even a good old fart can all set off a "smoke"
detector. :)

My best advice is you should tell the person in charge of the fire alarm
(the facilities manager?) what you are planning to do and that you're
worried you might set off the alarm. He should be thankful you have the
common sense to ask first. That would be much better than him finding
you've been mucking about with the system yourself, or for the Fire
Brigade to turn up to find you in your Mrs Mop outfit.

That's actually the *best* advice I've seen. If the OP has time, he
should post a picture of himself in the "Mrs. Mop outfit". I could use
a good laugh. :)

Usually individual heads (if it's a modern digital system) or a
particular zone can be temporarily disabled at the alarm panel. The
heads can be unplugged (usually like a bayonet-type light bulb) to clean
or replace them, but DON'T try doing this with the system still active
as it will set off the alarm. The FM won't be too happy while part of
the premises is unprotected, so this needs to be for a very short period
and he may want to get someone to supervise you.

If you want to risk it, you can certainly cover the detector heads with
a plastic bag to exclude the water vapour, or even better, use a plastic
glove (I thought that was a great idea) but remember the alarm is still
active and covering up the heads doesn't guarantee you won't set it
off. Then you'll be in hot water as well as steam!

Peter


Well excuse me. It's been my experience that tenants aren't responsible
for false fire alarms, the landlords are. If the falses are frequent
enough, the OP might wish to advise the landlord that upgrading the
smoke detectors to photo-electrics will aleviate the problem.
 
Chris, good on you for taking the trouble to clean up and I'm sorry you've
had such ridiculous replies from what normally tries to be a helpful and
sensible newsgroup. The person who lectured you on steam/smoke is an
ar**hole. Smoke detector technology basically detects anything that isn't
the usual mix of gases we call Air, so burning the toast, taking the lid off
a saucepan, opening a gas oven door, having a steamy shower or even a good
old fart can all set off a "smoke" detector. :)

My best advice is you should tell the person in charge of the fire alarm
(the facilities manager?) what you are planning to do and that you're
worried you might set off the alarm. He should be thankful you have the
common sense to ask first. That would be much better than him finding
you've been mucking about with the system yourself, or for the Fire Brigade
to turn up to find you in your Mrs Mop outfit.

Usually individual heads (if it's a modern digital system) or a particular
zone can be temporarily disabled at the alarm panel. The heads can be
unplugged (usually like a bayonet-type light bulb) to clean or replace them,
but DON'T try doing this with the system still active as it will set off the
alarm. The FM won't be too happy while part of the premises is unprotected,
so this needs to be for a very short period and he may want to get someone
to supervise you.

If you want to risk it, you can certainly cover the detector heads with a
plastic bag to exclude the water vapour, or even better, use a plastic glove
(I thought that was a great idea) but remember the alarm is still active and
covering up the heads doesn't guarantee you won't set it off. Then you'll
be in hot water as well as steam!

Peter


Peter,

Thanks for your advice.

I take what people say on newsgroups with a pinch of salt!

Where I live - it's very understaffed. People complain all the time.

People have been fined for using hairspray! (has triggered smoke alarm)
It's insane.

Deactivating the smoke detector is not an option (especially over
christmas as the place is even more understaffed than normal)

I will just cover it somehow
 
Upgrade to photo-electric units. The ionization ones typically false in
the presence of steam. Photo-electrics won't.

Mate,

I rent a room

I don't run the building

I just want to cover the alarm somehow so it doesn't go off.

I'm not interested in how they work.
 
A

alarman

Jan 1, 1970
0
Frank Olson said:
Upgrade to photo-electric units. The ionization ones typically false in
the presence of steam. Photo-electrics won't.

Oh yes they will. I've found that out the hard way.
js
 
A

alarman

Jan 1, 1970
0
In any case, thanks to
tax-payers' meanness, most students haven't got two halfpennies to rub
together let alone buy anything photo-electric!

Taxpayer's meanness?? Aren't you in the UK, and if so, aren't your people
already taxed up the wazoo?
js
 
R

R.H.Campbell

Jan 1, 1970
0
Or....locate them away from bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms ( a broker
dryer vent will cause a false....don't ask me how I know....:))

RHC

Russell Brill said:
Or.......... Close the bathroom door when taking a shower, False Alarm
problem solved........


I choose Polesoft Lockspam to fight spam, and you?
http://www.polesoft.com/refer.html
 
R

Robertm

Jan 1, 1970
0
You can cover the detector with kitchen wrap or aluminum foil. Just be
sure to uncover it after you're finished.

Regards,
Robert L Bass
www.BassBurglarAlarms.com

I live in an area where there are many brown recluse and black widow
spiders. It is necessary to fog the interior with pesticide once a month. I
made some wooden covers from 1/8 paneling and use masking tape to hold them
in place over the smoke detectors during the fogging.

Bob
 
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